Month: August 2009

In total, the amount raised for the Sick Kids Hospital was one thousand, six hundred and fifty one pounds – thank you to everyone who supported this great charity! Thanks to the German tourists who donated money at the start line at Lands End, to Eddie and Mrs Ford for their donations and the dinnertime conversation, to all of the people who heard about the ride via my Nan in Perth, and to all the people who donated online – I loved checking the internet each time I stopped to see what new comments had been posted on my blog. 🙂

I’m very pleased I did the ride. Looking back, I think the best day was cycling through Rannoch Moor – it wasn’t very pleasant at the time but it was the biggest ‘challenge’ day and I’m pretty proud about achieving it! Going over Shap, and the big hill on the east of Loch Ness are close seconds – interesting that the days that stick in my mind were the ones I was most apprehensive about when I got up in the morning.

I think my training was pretty much spot on – cycling to work (10m each way) a couple of times a week, plus longer rides at weekends, starting with 25m in January and eventually doing 65m on Sat and Sunday with full panniers in April. In total, I think I did maybe eight days of “long rides”. I also worked on hill climbing – climbing the Mennock Pass later on and going to Glentress a couple of time. During the last 4 weeks prior to the ride, I didn’t really do much in the way of serious training (not through choice – had too much other things to do!). Didn’t cause any problems though. I also enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t just the cycling – there was route planning to do, training to organize, bike gear to sort out, accomodation to arrange etc.

I have a new found respect for flapjacks with jam in them. Mmm, flapjacks.

Everytime I drive past a long-distance cyclist who is pedalling their way up a big hill in the rain, I smile because I know why they’re out there on a bike – carpe-ing the diem!